Battle Cry
by MissScaryKitty
Summary: I clung to him tightly, breathing heavily into his chest… my savior. I was more grateful than he could possibly imagine. Pulling away, my eyes locked onto his and I found Captain Levi of the Survey Corps staring right back at me. Levi/OC
1. A Lesson In Humility

**A Lesson in Humility:**

**Uma's POV**

It was inevitable wasn't it? I was always going to die by a Titan's hand. I suppose we all knew that in the back of our minds, all us soldiers. We simply live in denial to keep ourselves going, clinging to false rays of hope. But the fact that we are running towards our deaths never changes.

I was holdup in a bakery inside Wall Maria with nothing but four flimsy walls between the Titans and I. My vertical maneuvering equipment was destroyed during a narrow escape from a 9m class. All I had left were my swords and those wouldn't get me far. Not while I was grounded. Any chance of equipment repair was hopeless and there was nothing I could use as a replacement. What was worse was that the Titans were closing in on me from all sides, following those who, like me, were trying to get back to Wall Rose. I was trapped.

Either I could run out and be eaten by those monsters or I could die by my own sword. These seemed to be the only options I was faced with. And I was so close to the wall too... Such a shame. Such a fucking waste of a life.

What was my real motivation for becoming a soldier, anyway? I claimed to fight for my brothers and sisters in arms. To protect them was to honor their bravery, to ensure they knew someone realized their worth. This is what I told my commander our first day of training seven years ago and I had meant it.

I dedicated myself to them and only them- to the soldier on my left and to the soldier on my right. I had no family and no friends left, just my squad. So my goal was simple... my drive, unyielding. No matter the situation, no matter how impossible the odds, if there was a chance to save a life I would run in without a second thought. Some called me crazy, others suicidal. But none ever complained when I saved them. But if I was being honest, protecting them wasn't the only reason why I did it.

Pressing my back against the bakery door, seeking cover from the windows, I think back to a night when I overheard several soldiers from my division talking about me in the mess hall. Avery, a new member of the Survey Corps whom I had saved from a Titan's hands that day, was commenting on my devotion to the Corps when Yannis, a more seasoned soldier, began to set her straight…

_"It isn't about us, dumbass." He growled. "Don't ever think it's about us. She gets off on it. That's how she gets her thrills. All that extra training, all that crazy shit she does to prepare for another attack? It's so she can play her little game. When she's out there, it's just her and the Titans. She doesn't give a shit about us. We just enable her. One day she's going to jump into a situation that will get herself killed and it will be no one's fault but her own."_

I remember wanting to storm into the room and punch him in the face- thinking his assessment of me was completely unfair. But as the days dragged on I kept replaying his words in my head and thinking perhaps I wasn't truly selfless in my acts of bravery. In fact, somehow, I knew I couldn't be.

Yannis wasn't right on everything but he was right on one point, I enjoyed testing my limits against the Titans- seeing how far my extra training would take me. And now I really was paying for it. But I wasn't lying when I claimed to be here for my fellow soldiers. They were the only people I had left to fight for. Though most of them were strangers, I cared for them. The weak, the strong, the fool hearty, the brave; I truly did care if they died.

As for my own life, I knew I was no model example for a human being. I was short-tempered, critical, and proud. My better qualities never really outshined my bad ones in social situations… and if it wasn't for the fact that I was a soldier, I'd have no excuse as to why I was so abrasive. When I thought about it, I really had no life outside the military. No family, no friends, no lover. If I were to die, I'd die without anyone really knowing me. That thought terrified me.

There was a life I was supposed to have… one far different from what it turned out to be. It was infuriating to think about. It made me want to scream until my throat was raw, until all other sounds were drowned out by my deafening cries. Somewhere between all the fighting and all the pain, wasn't there was supposed to be some sort of meaning to it all… something to make the endless struggle worthwhile?

I looked to the sword I had clutched in my hand, trying to imagine it covered in my blood. The image only made my anger burn brighter. My death would not bring us closer to victory. It was a senseless waste. There was a life I was supposed to have… and now I would never know it. There was a life I was supposed to have and the thought of its loss filled me with inconsolable rage. There was a life I was supposed to have and I wanted to take it back. Fuck those monsters. And fuck killing myself. I did not want to die here. That was reason enough for me to keep on fighting. But how could I escape?

The wall. As I had said before, I was so close to the wall… it was only three buildings away from where I was. The first building was this bakery, the next a watchmaker's shop, and finally an apartment building. Thankfully, all of them were spaced close together, thus making a run for it on the roofs without gas and vertical maneuvering equipment fairly plausible. The only problem I faced was the wall itself. There was no way I could scale it alone. That meant I had to do something I've never done before; rely on someone else's help.

If I could manage to cross the buildings and get in position, someone from the wall would have to come down and get me. It was a flimsy plan at best but it was all I had. I needed to believe they would save me; that they wouldn't abandon me to die.

Suddenly I heard it, the slow, measured thundering of Titan footsteps outside. My heart pounded in my chest like a war drum as I dug my nails into the wood of the door behind me. I didn't dare look out the window. I already knew I would find a street full of those monsters. And the longer I waited the more would come. It was either now or never, I told myself.

Reaching up with shockingly steady hands, I deftly unbuckle the harness of my equipment. Letting it all fall to the floor, I unsheathed my swords, secured them to my belt, and got moving towards the back of the shop. With all that dead weight gone, I could be faster, more agile.

In the back room was a set of stairs leading to the roof. Climbing them, I kneeled down just underneath the wooden hatch that led to the outside. This was it.

We've all prayed for miracles. We've begged and bargained with a god that, for all we know, doesn't exist. But right then I was praying for someone else's help; for someone to reach down from the wall, to risk their life without a thought, to be truly selfless... and save me.

Trust is a two-way street, something I never quite got the hang of. But I was putting my life on the line believing in it. We are all tested in different ways. Perhaps this was my final test. To see if I was worthy of my fellow man's trust.

Throwing open the wooden hatch to the roof, I burst out of it, sprinting out into the sunlight. The whole area was crawling with Titans. Though I was frightened, I couldn't let it get to me- I simply had to assess the situation and keep moving. I counted three Titans in the near vicinity: one on my left and two on my right.

It took them a moment to see me but when they did they all redirected themselves, pegging me as their target. Still, I didn't let that slow me down. I kept my eyes forward as my feet pounded against the tile roof beneath me. I was closing in on the watchmaker's roof fast. My first objective was to clear the first jump. Reaching the end of the roof, I leaped forwards, stretching out my arms to catch myself on the ledge of the next one. My fingers made purchase on the decorative coping and I dug my feet into the side of the wall for leverage before pushing off and hoisting myself up onto the roof. I immediately began running again.

Suddenly I noticed a shadow looming above me. Realizing it was a Titan I flipped backwards and out of the way just in time. WHOMP! A giant hand smacked down in front of me and without thought, I found myself jumping over the thumb and sliding down the knuckles back onto the tile roof. BOOM! The other hand rained down atop the first, only half a second too late to catch me. I felt the roof begin to give way beneath my feet as the Titan tore through it.

My heart nearly stopped as I saw the second Titan, a 4m class, nearing the next alleyway I had to jump across. It stopped at the corner of the building, its hand reaching out for me. Instead of trying to outrun the impossible, I sprinted towards it. Unsheathing one of my swords, I got right underneath the monster's hand and sliced its fingers off in one swift move. I managed to duck out of there before being barraged by steam. Another flying leap landed me onto the next roof.

Looking from side to side, I saw the Titan who smashed the roof and the one on my right side were almost in step with me. They had caught up as I figured they would. It was hopeless trying to outrun them on foot. The only thing I could do was to outmaneuver them.

Pulling out my flair gun, I aimed it at the Titan closest to me and fired off a shot into its eye. The red pyrotechnic exploded in its face, temporarily blinding it. I used this opportunity to alter my course, running closer to the injured Titan in order to avoid the fully functional one. All of this was a gamble, but no matter what I kept on pressing forwards.

There it was, the end of the burnt orange roof. Digging up the remaining strength inside of me, I willed my legs to pump faster. Grabbing hold of my blades once more, I flipped them into a hammer-fisted hold as I readied myself to jump. As my toe connected with the edge of the roof, my breathing slowed and I launched myself into the air. Extending my arms above my head, I thrust my blades into the side of the wall. Either they would catch or I would go tumbling down to the street below. Thankfully, they caught hold.

Wasting no time, I began to scramble up the wall. The Titans were closing in from all sides. I, their prey, was now an easy meal. Gripping onto the wall, the skin of my knuckles shredded and bloody, I gazed up to the top.

"Please!" I screamed. "Help me!"

I could see outlines if heads peering over, silhouetted by the sun. No one was moving. No one was coming. They were just going to watch me be eaten! My faith in them was misplaced. I had been so wrong.

All three Titans were closing in fast. I could smell their breath. I could feel their body heat. I could hear their smacking gums. Hanging there on that wall, waiting for my terrifying fate, was agony. There was no escaping the inevitable

What were to be my last words tore from my throat. "HELP ME!"

My heart stopped and for a moment the world went silent. Then I heard a familiar zip of a rappelling line and a second later I was airborne, cradled in the arms of an anonymous savior. Titan hands barraged the wall, smacking, hitting, groping for us. But he was too fast, too determined to fail. His sword was covered in Titan blood, drawing more and more as we swung up to safety. Once we were out of reach, gravity threw us up above the top of the wall before sending us crashing down onto the hard stone of the battlements.

I clung to him tightly, breathing heavily into his chest… my savior. I was more grateful than he could possibly imagine. Pulling away, my eyes locked onto his and I found Captain Levi of the Survey Corps staring right back at me. I half expected him to push me off of his chest in annoyance or disgust, but he didn't. Slowly, painfully, I brought myself to my feet. God, that had taken a lot out of me. I offered him my hand and, shocking still, he took it without a word.

Once he was on his feet he brushed off whatever little dirt he had on his jacket. As if being slightly soiled was the most interesting thing going on at the moment. But there he was, the legendary Captain Levi standing right in front of me. He was my height if not slightly shorter and that was surprising considering my own smaller stature. The "clean freak" thing certainly held true to rumor too.

"Thank you," I told him, collecting myself. "I owe you my life."

"You would have done the same for any of them. Even though they're all cowards." He said flatly, looking over at the soldiers who didn't come to my aid. Before I knew it he was already walking past me, back towards Commander Erwin.

"No," I said, reaching out and stopping him. My strong gaze met his piercing gray eyes. Seeing the irritated look on his face, I knew it was probably a mistake to have touched him but right then I didn't care. "I owe you my life," I told him, making sure he knew I meant every word.

"Fine… so you do," he said over his shoulder as he left.

I knew he was merely appeasing me. He probably thought I was scared shitless, saying crazy nonsense after having a near-death experience. But he could not have known how serious I was nor how my vow would shape both of our futures.

AN: Hey! if you liked this first chapter please review! I'd love to hear from you.

That aside, there are a couple of things I should mention about Uma for those of you who are curious.

1. She is serving in the lower ranks of the Survey Corpse.

2. Her independent and abrasive nature has kept her from advancement.

3. Her hometown is within the interior of Wall Maria, in the mountain forests.

4. Ch. 1 takes place during the first failed attempt to take back Wall Maria. Uma is one of the 500 survivors (thanks to the lovely Captain Levi).

The next chapter will be from Levi's POV!


	2. Show Me Your Strength

**Disclosed Information:**

Name: Uma Belova

Height: 5'4"

Weight: 125lbs

Interests: Protecting her fellow soldiers, surviving suicide missions, and doing what she wants.

Special Talents: pissing off command, free running, and unmatched aerial acrobatics with a 3DMG.

Weaknesses: Unable to accept her own limitations, doesn't take orders well, and often keeps to herself.

Affiliations: Survey Corps

Quirks: Refuses to cut her hair short, gives amazing death glares, and purses her lips when troubled or angered.

**Show Me Your Strength:**

**Levi's POV**

The top of the Wall was fucking chaos. Most of the Squad Leaders had been killed during the mission, leaving their subordinates in a damn frenzy. With the chains of command broken, it was up to Erwin and I to maintain some semblance of order. Once we devised a system that allowed us to relay orders to the soldiers at the far ends of the Wall, things managed to slow down a bit.

When the surviving soldiers realized the decision to retreat behind Wall Maria was final they were able to stop shitting themselves with fear. Knowing they didn't have to go out again was enough to placate them. When the order came, you could feel the wave of relief roll over the crowd.

Mass panic soon turned into morbid curiosity as the soldiers watched the stragglers below try to make it over the Wall. By then the Titans had swarmed around the gates, making an escape practically hopeless. Soon they stopped cheering on their stranded comrades as one by one they were brutally devoured. Their numbers slowly dwindled until they were only being spotted between ten to fifteen minute intervals.

"Look! There's another one!" A grunt named Norris shouted.

"She's really close too," said another, as if it were a shame that the poor bastard wasn't going to make it.

Wondering exactly how close was 'close', I peered over the edge of the Wall. Three buildings away was a blonde soldier running for her life. She had no vertical maneuvering gear that I could see and there were three Titans closing in on her fast. She was brave to run, but I couldn't imagine she'd make it past the first roof. Yet, when she reached the edge of the building, vaulted through the air, took hold of the coping of the next building and sprung up onto it like it was nothing, it gave me somewhat of a pause. After getting up on the roof, a Titan swung at her. She narrowly dodged it by doing a back flip and then immediately diving over its fingers before it could deliver its second blow. I've seen these moves before… this was Uma Belova. There wasn't a soldier in her rank that could match her ground and aerial maneuvering abilities. I had wanted to promote her to my squad some time ago but Commander Erwin had rejected my request. He thought she lacked humility and the ability to take orders, which was true. But her talents were still wasted in the lower ranks.

Two of the three Titans hunting her began to close in on both sides. I watched intently as she fired off a red flair into one of their eyes. Despite her perilous situation, it was obvious she was a quick thinker. Her strategy seemed to pay off as she neared the end of the last roof. When her swords dug into the side of the white walls, I grit my teeth expecting her to fall but by some miracle, her blades sunk in.

"Please! Help me!" she cried as she desperately tried to scale the Wall with her bare hands. It was clear she was going to need some assistance.

I stared down the line of soldiers then. "So… which one of you is going down there to get her?" I asked. Their heads snapped over in my direction, their expressions displaying varying degrees of terror. Clearly they were only willing to watch. "Cowards," I muttered. I suppose it was up to me then. Stepping up on the edge of the Wall I judged her distance from me before jumping down.

Firing my grappling hook into the stone, I heard Uma scream out in one last cry for help. My only thought as I swung down towards her was for her to wait a damn minute. Unsheathing my swords, I rocketed across the first Titan's shoulders, cutting the back of his neck wide open. As it fell, I scooped Uma up in my arms. I felt her grip on to me tightly, holding her own weight, which allowed me to have one hand free to fight. As I ran across the Wall, using our momentum to propel us, I felt a Titan's hand slam against the stone only moments after we swung away from its reach. Seeing a shadow above us, I unsheathed my sword and cut off the extended fingers of the last Titan, buying us some time. Using a final burst of gas, I launched us up the Wall to safety.

With both hands full, I knew our landing wasn't going to be clean. Also judging by the angle, I was going to take the brunt of the fall. Before hitting the stone floor of the battlements I sighed heavily and waited for impact. We came down hard but luckily nothing felt broken.

Uma was on top of me, clinging to me tightly as she panted into my chest. As I caught my breath, all I could do was stare at her. That expression on her face… it was so… vulnerable. She must have been terrified- to have survived the entire mission and then, in the last few moments, believe she was going to die. She had run the gauntlet… there was no denying that. Still, I wished she wouldn't have gripped onto me so tightly.

Once Uma looked up at me, I saw a spark of recognition in her eyes and she immediately began to stand up. I suppose I intimidated her. The fact that I had a reputation in the Survey Corps, as annoying as it was, was not lost on me. I half expected her to start spewing some stupid nonsense about how it was an honor but she didn't. In fact, that expression of raw emotion I saw only moments before was gone. Regarding me with her now calm blue gaze, she extended her hand down to me and I took it without complaint. Reaching my feet, I looked at the state of my dusty jacket. Its dirty appearance was by no means acceptable so began to brush it off. The filth in some of these places… Looking up I saw Uma was still standing before me.

"Thank you… I owe you my life," she told me. This was not the first time someone had made me such a vow. I was simply going to write this one off.

"You would have done the same for any of them," I told her, knowing that she would. "Even though they're all cowards."

She glanced down the line of soldiers quickly, probably curious as to which of her comrades didn't come to her rescue. It didn't seem to bother her though. It was clear she knew the score. Not everyone was willing to play the hero like her. Most had a good sense of self-preservation. I began to leave then but I felt a hand on my arm stopping me.

"No," she said determinedly. I regarded her with a cold glare for grabbing me like that but her resolve never waivered. "I owe you my life," she told me, making sure I knew she was dead serious.

"Fine… so you do," I said before taking my leave.

During my walk along the Wall I began thinking about what had just passed. Uma's disregard for rank irritated me but what she said seemed genuine. A part of me wanted to hold her to her promise… to test that grit she had just shown me. If she held true to her word perhaps I could mold her into the soldier she ought to be.

I guess Uma had been up for promotion twice in her career but both Erwin and his late predecessor were convinced she was a lost cause. Uma was always a loose cannon who couldn't handle taking orders. I vaguely remember the acting commander before him had once compared her to a stray dog with no loyalty. To me, that was giving her far too much credit. In my opinion, she came across as more misguided than anything.

As I approached Erwin, he cast me a sidelong glance. He knew I was still interested in promoting Uma to my squad. Though I supported his initial decision, I never agreed with it and he knew it. She might have been the only bone of contention between him and I. It was small but meaningful.

"What did she say to you?" He asked.

"Apparently she owes me her life." I told him, fixing my eyes on the sunset. "...If that isn't an act of submission, I don't know what is."

Erwin just shook his head. "You and I will never see eye-to-eye on this issue so I'm just going to give you my permission to promote her to your squad. If it doesn't work out then I'll be able to say I told you so… and if it does then Squad Levi will have gained another excellent soldier."

This was certainly unexpected. Had I really expressed that much interest in Uma Belova's career that he just handed her over to me?

"Sir," I said with a nod. "I'll make sure she won't disappoint."

My eyes narrowed as the last rays of light disappeared behind Wall Maria. From that moment on Uma would become my personal project. I had a gut feeling that it wouldn't take long for her to adjust to a more structured life within the Corps. After all, years ago I wasn't so different from her and I was able to fall in line. I would not fail in this.

AN: First of all, thank you to everyone whose read and reviewed my story. I hope you all continue to do so in the future. I must say that I was worried about writing a chapter from Levi's point of view. It proved to be some trouble at first. In large part, the editing consisted of deleting a lot of unnecessary details that didn't fit Levi's character. I did not want to reveal too much while at the same time say too little, otherwise the story would flat-line. I believe I found a good balance, though. It was a risk I decided to take so let me know what you all think!


	3. Welcome to Hell: PART I

**Welcome to Hell: PART I**

**Uma's POV**

The mission is over, I thought, unwilling to open my eyes. Out of my entire squad, I alone had survived and it was not without help either. I wanted to sleep for days, to fall into oblivion and wake up only when the events of yesterday were just a faint memory. I wanted all that death, that fear, and wretchedness to be like a faded scar on my body- lost and forgotten among the many others. But that was impossible. Everything was as painful and raw as a fresh sword wound and I would be given no time to heal. Though the mission was over, we had to return to training the next day.

Just as I began drifting back to sleep, the door to my room burst open, rousing both my bunkmate and I. In stormed our new Squad Leader, Cohen, who had just been assigned to us last night. He seemed to be in a particularly foul mood and not at all concerned with our privacy. The sun was not up yet and I wondered what in the hell he could possibly want.

I watched through half-lidded eyes as he grabbed my green Survey Corpse cloak off the back of the wooden desk chair and tossed it onto my lap. I made a sour face in reaction to his rudeness but he didn't seem to notice or care. "Put this on and report to Captain Levi's camp immediately," he ordered. "You've been promoted."

Hearing this, my eyes grew so large I thought they would pop out of my head. "I've been…?"

"You have 15 minutes to clear out of your old barracks," he said, cutting through my babbling. "At seven hundred hours I expect to hear you've reported to your new squad."

I nodded oddly not knowing what else to do. Then I found my words. "Yes, Sir… Thank you, Sir."

"Don't thank anyone yet," he muttered before turning and leaving.

My new roommate, Ansel, leaned down from the top bunk, her face drawn into an expression of awe. "You've been promoted to Captain Levi's squad? Who… who are you?" She asked, suddenly star struck. "You must be an amazing soldier!"

I stared at the cloak in my lap in disbelief, kneading the heavy fabric between my fingers. "Far from it, actually," I murmur softly.

Honestly, I wasn't about to complain, but I was confused as to why exactly I was being promoted. What had I done in front of Levi for him to think I deserved it? And that look in Cohen's eyes before he left… it was almost like he was saying 'welcome to hell, Uma Belova'. This was actually happening, it wasn't a dream, but I wished I knew what exactly was going on. Without anyone to question, I rose from my bed and began to get dressed.

TITANTITANTITANTITANTITANTITAN

I felt like an ass walking through the base and asking person after person where I could find Captain Levi's Squad but I was pretty much at a loss as to where it was. Apparently, they were pretty secluded. Finally, I ran into and elderly officer who was able to point me in the right direction. It was located at the edge of the base beyond the training woods.

The walk through the empty training grounds was somewhat relaxing. Soon they would be swarming with soldiers going about their daily routines but for now, it was almost tranquil. It wasn't often I was able to be completely alone. One had to give up so many simple pleasures to be a soldier… the pleasure of one's own company was one of them. When I reached the edge of the woods, the sun was halfway up. It wouldn't be long before I heard the wakeup call.

The woods here always reminded me of home- strong and sheltered and green. Grazing my fingers along the wet bark, I took time to enjoy this rare moment of simplicity. When I finally arrived at the Special Operations Squad Headquarters, I took a moment to scope it out before going in. Sadly, my moment of peace was over. I had a feeling I wouldn't get another one for quite some time.

The white, two-story structure was set up in a U shape with a large courtyard. The remains of a large gate connecting the open ends of the U was bent inwards and rusted into the patchy ground. It looked like a repurposed convent. Perhaps that's what it was. Though the wooden flogging post near the side of the courtyard told a somewhat different story. An old jail maybe? Regardless, it was out of the way in a secluded area and I had a strange feeling there was a purpose for this… what that was I would have to find out.

Readjusting the heavy pack I was carrying on my back, I strode through the rusted gates and across the courtyard. Entering through the main doors, I looked around expecting to find someone waiting for me, but there was nobody in sight. Were they all still asleep? Did no one know I was coming? This had the potential to be a very embarrassing situation. Regardless, I couldn't just leave, so I headed down the entry hall looking for signs on the doors, or just something to point me in the right direction. I supposed it was best if I looked for Captain Levi seeing as I was to report to him immediately upon my arrival.

I was deathly silent walking down the tiled floor of hall, using my hunter's feet as to not alert anyone of my presence. I really didn't want to bump into any strangers and have to explain myself to them. I was never really a people person and the fact that I already felt so out of place wouldn't help the situation.

Looking at around at all the closed doors, I began to get nervous. Where the hell was I going? Though I really didn't want to, perhaps knocking on one of the doors was unavoidable. Then, to my relief, I saw an open one at the end of the hall. Continuing down the way, I decided to check it out.

I walked into the doorway to find Captain Levi standing in the middle of his bedroom half dressed, his belt undone and his shirt hanging wide open. His serious grey eyes snapped up to meet mine and I immediately avert my gaze, my heart nearly stopping from shock. Oh my god, what had I done?

"Forgive me, Captain," I immediately apologized, my embarrassment apparent. "I didn't know these were private quarters."

"Tch, I didn't take you to be a blushing schoolgirl," he said, not seeming to give a damn. "Why are you here so early?"

Realizing I hadn't caused some mortifying incident, I stepped back into the doorway. He was already buttoning up his shirt. "Captain Cohen told me to report to you immediately." I answered.

"Idiot," he muttered, referring to Cohen, as he tightened his belt. Honestly I couldn't have agreed more but I decidedly kept my mouth shut. "Well, I suppose we should get started," he sighed, reaching for his cravat and tying it around his neck. "Have you eaten?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet."

"Then go eat. The mess hall is around the corner through the double doors." He said, pointing behind me.

I nodded, holding back for a moment. I had so many questions and no answers. The first being, why was I promoted? It seemed odd to just plop down in a strange place and start eating. Levi slipped on his jacket and, ever meticulous about his appearance, picked a piece of lint off of the shoulder. Noticing I was still there, he looked up at me once more.

"You want to watch me piss too, Belova?" He asked crudely.

Banishing that disturbing image from my head I stepped forwards once more. "Sir, if I may… why did you promote me to your squad?"

There was a momentary flash in his grey eyes that gripped hold of me. "Because I wanted to," he answered. "Besides, you owe my your life, remember?"

I nodded, feeling no further need to question him. "Yes, Sir."

AN: Hello everyone! Sorry for the shorter chapter, there's much more to come and sooner too, I just wanted to get this out as fast as I could. I'm working a bit slower because I have 2 other active stories that I'm working on, one for Black Butler and the other for Death Note which I will now shamelessly plug lol. I'm really excited about them, so if you like my writing and are looking to mix it up a bit, I encourage you to check these two stories out. For Death Note, the title is 23 Days of L and for Black Butler the title is Family Blood. Thank you so much and please remember to review!

Up next: Uma meets the gang and gets settled in. Will she make friends or enemies?… it's a bit obvious isn't it?


	4. Welcome to Hell: PART II

**Welcome to Hell: PART II**

**Uma's POV**

I made my way to the mess hall and quietly entered through one of the wooden double doors. Seeing no one inside, I relaxed a bit and went to the long table in the center of the room and started to make myself a cup of coffee. As I poured the hot, brown liquid into a white teacup, I noted that it actually smelled good. It was nothing like the sludge I was used to. Whoever made it must have had some sort of special touch. Adding milk and more sugar than I ought, I stirred it all up and took a long sip from it. It tasted even better than it smelled. Things were already looking promising in the Special Ops sector.

Suddenly, my peace was broken by the gentle creak of the door opening. Looking up from my seat I saw a copper-haired woman enter the room. She was small and nymph-like with honey eyes and an innocent face. She looked to be about my age.

"Your hair's so pretty," the woman commented, smiling sweetly at me.

I touched the end of my loose braid nervously before returning a polite smile. "Thank you," I tell her, my cheeks reddening.

The copper headed woman sat down in front of me and began to make herself a cup of coffee. "I wish my hair could grow long like that. How does it stay so nice?" She asked.

"Um, good genes I guess?" I said shrugging. If it wasn't already apparent, I was horrible at receiving compliments. "My mother had long hair, same as mine," I told her. Images of my late mother cropped up in my mind and I had to squash the slight pang in my chest at the thought of her. She was a beautiful woman, or at least I had always thought so.

The sweet woman across from me laughed then having just realized something. He bell-like voice shook me from my thoughts. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Petra Ral," She said, extending her hand to me.

"Uma Belova," I say, reaching across the table and taking it. "I just joined Squad Levi today."

"Really? That's great! Now I don't have to be the only girl around here," she said with a wink.

I forced a laugh and luckily the sound of the door opening once more covered its obvious discomfort. A tall, blond man entered the room, casually rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Hey, Eld come over and meet the new girl. This is Uma Belova," she said, a little too happily for how early it was.

The man looked over at me with mild curiosity as he rounded the table.

"That's strange, Levi never said anything about a new member," he said taking a seat next to Petra. "I'm Eld by the way."

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Likewise." He seemed pretty even-keeled and down to earth.

Within the next twenty minutes all the other squad mates entered the dining room. One by one they introduced themselves. Some were curious, even a bit put off by my sudden ascension into their ranks while others, like Petra, were happy to have me onboard. I was beginning to get the feeling that my transfer was pretty unorthodox. By the end of the hour I had met Petra, Eld, Oluo, Gunther, and Franc. All of them had impressive field records and, if their placement in Squad Levi wasn't enough to prove it, they could all hold their own in a battle.

"I'm assuming you've all had a chance to meet Uma Belova, the new addition to the squad," Levi commented, making his way to the table. "She will be on probation until I say otherwise."

Probation? That was news to me, though I shouldn't have been surprised. Basically, I couldn't fuck up for the next few months or else I would be kicked back down into the lower ranks. It was certainly something to think about during my time here.

"Everyone finish up. Combat drills start in fifteen minutes."

TITANTITANTITANTITANTITAN

The training fields for the Special Operations Unit were behind the main building. It seemed we had our own private base. Though the facilities we had were by no means new, it was still very impressive we had access to them. Our first exercise for the day was hand-to-hand combat drills. Even in the Survey Corp, such training was thought to be useful. In many ways, they were… in my experience humans were just as capable of being your enemy as a Titan was.

Opinions aside, I was interested in testing my metal against my new comrades. Did I really have what it takes to be a part of Squad Levi? This probation period meant that command must have their doubts about me. Yet, I was here because Levi apparently wanted me to be… or so he had said. I was still unsure if I had an ally in him or not. I tended to think yes, but it was a tentative yes at best. If I wanted to stay here, I had to show both him and command that I measured up. Thankfully, I always enjoyed a challenge.

We broke up into groups of two to spar with one another. After three rounds, we were to switch partners until we fought everyone in the squad. My first partner was Oluo. He seemed to be a boastful, self-important sort of man. From what I had gleaned during breakfast, his conversations usually centered on making himself seem tough or impressive. It was a joke really. He already had the necessary stats to prove he was good… he didn't need to try so hard.

As we faced off with one another, Oluo regarded me with a smug look, as if he had already won the match. He was underestimating me. I could already tell what he was thinking… that this green horn was no match for him. He didn't know what I had up my sleeve, though. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly let it out, focusing my mind.

Receiving the signal to begin, Oluo put up his fists in a boxing position, his strong side wide as a barn. I held up my hands in a non-threatening open palm position. It was a strangely weak looking stance that caused Oluo to snort.

"You're making this too easy, rookie," he said, zeroing in on me. "This is going to be over real quick."

Yes it is, I thought as he came at me without hesitation. Reeling his fist all the way back, he shot forwards with a power punch, intending to knock me out me in one strength-driven move. Expecting this, I bent my back knee only slightly, taking my body out of the path of his fist. Without a target to stop his momentum, Oluo went tripping past me, his arm outstretched in front of him. I turned and kicked him in the butt, sending him to the ground.

"What the hell?" he snapped, his face reddening in embarrassment. "Did you even move?"

I simply nodded in response. This was quickly becoming fun.

"Tch, whatever, nice trick," he grumbled, looking down his nose at me. "And now that I know it, I'm going to kick your ass. You only get lucky once."

We took our positions again and he immediately came at me, hoping to land a heavy blow. Just as he charged into range, I bent my back knee for support and raised my right foot in front of me, causing Oluo to jam his kneecap into it. The added force of my kick to his forward momentum completely immobilized his attack. He howled out in pain, doubling over, and while he was distracted I downed him again with two simple moves.

"The hell?!" He cried, rocking on the ground, his battered knee in hand. "How did you…?"

"It doesn't take much to stop an idiot," I told him, a smug grin tugging at my lips. I couldn't help but feel slightly satisfied with myself.

"You're using cheap tricks, Belova!" He accused.

I merely shrugged. "True, but I'm winning aren't I?"

"It's still cheating," he whined.

"Bullshit, there is no cheating when it comes to fighting for your life," I tell him, my tone suddenly becoming caustic. "Do you think your silly rules and fancy techniques are going to help you in a fight where it's either you win or you die?"

I could sense the tension rising around us. Several sparring partners had stopped fighting and wandered over to listen to our quarrel. Eld stepped forwards and offered his opinion. "I'm not going to say your wrong, Uma, but the rules are put in place for a reason. They promote structure and dignity in battle."

"Have you ever fought another human being to the death before?" I asked. No one answered me. "There is no dignity in it."

The mood turned black then and everyone looked at me like I had two heads. Suddenly, the awkward moment was broken by Levi's voice as it cut through the tense silence. "Why are you all standing around? Did Oluo shit his pants?" He asked, standing a bit away from the group with his arms crossed. What was with this guy and bodily functions?

"No, Sir!" Oluo answered, his cheeks turning red as he scrambling to his feet.

"Then get back to work," he said. The group around us dispelled and we went back to doing combat drills.

Oluo and I didn't continue our conversation after that. However, instead of drilling in silence as I was expecting, he asked me to teach him some of my moves. Being proud, he was somewhat sheepish about it, begrudging even. But he was still interested to learn, so I taught him a couple things. He gave me some good pointers as well. When we switched out partners, we both left feeling a little humbled.

I really didn't want anyone to hate me… not right off the bat, anyways. In fact, I felt it was better to just slide by unnoticed. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly give off that impression and it was only day one. I could feel that my stunt on the training grounds was going to set the mood for the rest of my time here. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Proving to them that I wasn't a psycho, jerk, or otherwise was going to be an uphill battle. What a shit deal.

TITANTITANTITANTITANTITAN

After sparring, I returned to my room and began unpacking my things. Since I didn't have much, I figured I could get it all done before lunchtime. I was putting out my civilian clothes when Franc, another member of Squad Levi, came into the room.

"So when did you kill a man?" He asked gruffly, leaning on my doorframe. Franc was an older, burly soldier who practically dwarfed me.

"Excuse me?" I replied dryly, put off by his boldness.

"That's what you implied today during training, right? Don't tell me it was all bullshit."

Now he was getting smart with me. I hated guys like him- ones who thought their overabundance strength was an acceptable substitute for intelligence. They always ended up getting killed.

"It's none of your business," I tell him.

He laughed, entering my room with a confident stride. "I knew it, you were just playing around." He said, rudely poking me in the shoulder.

I immediately swiped his hand away, annoyed. "Tch, I never play. Now get out."

Franc was being highly irritating and I really didn't know why other than maybe he was trying to intimidate me. What he didn't know was I was only moments away from downing him. First of all, I hated being touched and second, I hated being teased so that was already two counts against him… I would not tolerate a third.

"Don't be so touchy, Belova." A second later, I felt him tug on a lock of my unbound hair. "When are you going to get this cut anyway? You're a soldier, not a princess…"

Deftly grabbing his outstretched hand, I tugged him towards me and nailed him in the face with my open palm. Once he was stunned, I pushed the big lug down on his ass. It wasn't enough to injure him but enough to make him feel like an idiot.

"You're right, I'm not a princess," I muttered looking down my nose at him. "If you touch me again, I'll send you out that window."

"Shit, princess, what the hell?" He yelled from his place on the floor, rubbing his nose in pain.

"What is this?" I heard from the doorway. We both turned our heads to see Levi standing in the hallway, regarding us with his usual vapid gaze.

"Nothing, Sir!" Franc said, from his place on the ground.

"The floor was wet and Franc slipped," I told him, holding out my hand to help Franc up. The older man looked at it with some distrust but then decided to take it.

"Whatever…" Levi said. It was obvious he did not believe my story but both Franc and I were complacent with it so he didn't bother to question it. "3DMG drills start in five minutes so get off your asses," he informed us.

"Yes, Sir!" we both saluted in unison. The Captain merely rolled his eyes as he continued down the hall. Franc and I immediately exchanged hateful glares. We were about to get into it once more until Levi poked his head back into my room. Both of us went ridged as we looked to him.

"Oh, and Belova? Keep your floor clean."

**AN:** Please review! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I tried very hard to stay true to everyone's character while allowing Uma to have her own opinions about them. Franc is a character of my own creation. Obviously he's not around when Erin joins Squad Levi, but his story shapes Uma's future as a soldier. When creating Franc, I pictured a seasoned knight of the long sword. He's gritty, rough, and possesses the wisdom of the common man. He would have been a great sword for hire if he weren't so loyal.


	5. Concerns

**Concerns**

**Levi's POV:**

It had only been four days since the mission to retake Wall Maria and Erwin was already paying me a visit. Once I invited him into my office, he closed the door behind him.

"How's your new recruit?" He asked, his hands clasped behind him.

"Fine," I told him blandly, knowing he was on a fishing expedition. "She's made some enemies though."

"That's not exactly surprising, is it?" He replied, walking up to the window behind my desk.

I held in a weary sigh as I stood up joined him. Outside, I could see my team scattered out in the yard, tuning their 3DMG's.

"This squad is full of stubborn personalities, it's only to be expected. Though, she's having no trouble holding her own," I tell him.

"Glad to hear it," he replied.

I knew I had a couple of rough bastards in the mix, Oluo and Franc being perfect examples. If Uma hadn't of been able defend herself against them I would have begun to think twice about her position here. As I suspected, she was one tough nut… _nut_ seeming to be the optimum word. Regardless, I respected her particular brand of crazy and was curious to see what she'd bring to the table.

"She knocked both Olou and Franc on their asses the first day. I consider that a pretty good start."

Erwin chuckled in response, which I found somewhat odd. This whole conversation felt forced from the beginning. We were not the type to shoot the shit together, or with anyone else for that matter, so what did he want? He obviously had something to say and there was no point in skirting the damn issue. So let's cut to the damn chase.

"What brings you here, Sir?"

"The same person we we've been talking about, Uma Belova. I found some information on her that's somewhat troubling," he informs me, his demeanor returning to its usual seriousness. It seemed that the pleasantries were over.

"What's that?" I muttered, pretty certain nothing he'd say could surprise me. This was the military no one had a perfect track record.

"I think it's best if I show you," he said, putting a manila folder on my desk and flipping it open. It was Uma Belova's recruitment file. Her picture from when she was a trainee was paper-clipped to the front of her documentation. Even back then, she looked hardened- a young face with an old soul.

"Uma Belova's first official documentation came from an orphanage called Open Arms in Little Millan. There's very little written in there about her past except where she came from. She was born in Misk Mina a village in the Mountain Forests of Maria."

Misk Mina… now that was somewhat surprising. That village was a bitter reminder that humanity itself is it's own enemy.

"I've heard of it," I tell him. Who the hell hasn't?

"Do you know what happened there?"

Slaughter, torture, madness… "I do." I told him.

"That was sixteen years ago, the same time Belova was brought to the Open Arms," Erwin informed me.

"So she was there, what's your point?" I asked.

"My point is Uma Belova was a victim of the Misk Mina Massacre. We don't know what this girl has seen or what has been done to her. It can only be assumed she's undergone no shortage of torture in her childhood. She's not just some hothead or a thrill-seeker that can quickly be whipped into shape. She's been molded by the traumatic events of her past and most likely will never change. I think, given the circumstances, it would be dangerous to keep her in your unit. The Special Operations Squad cannot afford to have an uncontrolled variable running around."

I knew Erwin had a legitimate reason to be concerned but I was too stubborn to say as much. Watching Belova out the window, so focused and calm as she worked, I tried to imagine her as the unstable lunatic Erwin feared she was. I couldn't see it. There were a lot of broken minds wandering loose in the Survey Corps, but I doubted she was one of them. Uma was tough, tougher than most soldiers I've seen. And she didn't have to play at it either. Just one look at her and it was obvious… she was an instrument of carnage.

"To me, the past is the past," I told him. "Looks like she feels the same way. But if you want her demoted, she's on probation anyway."

Erwin's brow knit as he stared down at the young woman in question, as if boring a hole in the back of her skull would give him the answer. I could tell he felt sympathy for what happened to her as a child, whatever appalling things that might have been. When it came to violence, Erwin was well acquainted with the kind that came from Titans, not other humans. Still it didn't take much imagination to think of what we humans are capable of doing to one another. I could tell he was disturbed by all of the possibilities. I'm sure that was the only thing that spurred him to make his next decision.

"Just keep an eye on her," he muttered, his brow still knit in concern. "If she shows any troubling signs, immediately pull her out of play."

"Out of play?" I asked, looking over to him. He had to be joking…

Erwin nodded curtly, "I will be leading an expedition beyond the wall in a couple of days. The Special Operations Squad will be one of the units to join me."

"Do you think they'll be ready to face the Titans again so soon?" I asked. My unit was still exhausted from the last mission. The idea of shoving them back out there irked me.

"I'm afraid they'll have to be ready," Erwin answers with a regretful sigh.

Erwin didn't stay for much longer and when he left, he didn't take Uma's file with him. I opened it up to her picture once more and stared down at it. Who the hell are you, Uma?

**AN: **PLEASE REVIEW! Sorry for the short chapter everyone. It is the length I intended it to be- Levi isn't a very talkative guy so all his POV chapters are concise and say everything they need to without romanticizing anything. For those of you who are here for the romance, it's very subtle and slow, but hopefully you can see the possibilities of stirrings in this chapter lol.


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